Come Fly With Me: Irish Aviation Design at National Print Museum
At the National Print Museum in Dublin, the exhibition 'Come Fly With Me: Aviation, Tourism and Irish Design,' curated by Dr. Linda King, delves into the intersection of Irish cultural heritage and aviation graphic design spanning the 1940s to the 1960s. This showcase includes travel posters, brochures, and newsreels sourced from the National Library of Ireland. It investigates the impact of design on Irish identity and economic development, particularly focusing on 1950s U.S. tourism guidance tied to Marshall Aid, which facilitated Aer Lingus's transatlantic service launch in 1958. Additionally, it features contributions from Dutch designers at KLM, such as Guus Melai and Jan de Fouw, who played a pivotal role in shaping Irish design education. Dr. King seeks to enrich the narrative of Irish graphic design history.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Come Fly With Me: Aviation, Tourism and Irish Design' is on view at the National Print Museum in Dublin.
- Curated by Dr. Linda King, focusing on 1940s-1960s aviation and tourism graphic design.
- Includes travel posters, sketches, brochures, tickets, baggage labels, in-flight publications, and newsreels.
- Loans from National Library of Ireland, National Irish Visual Arts Library, Irish Film Institute, Little Museum of Dublin.
- Highlights U.S. tourism advice in 1950s due to Marshall Aid, targeting U.S. tourists and diaspora in New York and Boston.
- Aer Lingus transatlantic route established in 1958.
- Aer Lingus founded in 1936 by Seán Lemass, 90th anniversary in 2026.
- Dutch designers from KLM, including Guus Melai, Jan de Fouw, Willem van Velzen, arrived from 1951.
- Jan de Fouw's work donated to NPM; he served on Curatorial Board for over 20 years.
- Exhibition aims to contribute to Irish graphic design history.
Entities
Artists
- Dr. Linda King
- Guus Melai
- Jan de Fouw
- Willem van Velzen
- Seán Lemass
Institutions
- National Print Museum
- National Library of Ireland
- National Irish Visual Arts Library
- Irish Film Institute
- Little Museum of Dublin
- Aer Lingus
- KLM
- Bord Fáilte
- John Hinde
- RTÉ
- Guinness
- IADT (Institute of Art, Design and Technology)
- Research Ireland
- PRINT Magazine
Locations
- Dublin
- Ireland
- New York
- Boston
- United States
- Britain
- Germany
- Netherlands